When the Founder Battles the Marketer in Me: Who Wins?

As a digital marketing consultant and the founder of a food company, I’m constantly navigating an internal dialogue.?

The marketer in me knows how crucial it is to define the market, identify needs, and craft the perfect pitch before going all-in on a product. That’s the playbook I live by. But the founder in me? That part just wants to build and launch, fueled by the excitement of creating something new.

Let me share a personal story.

I’m developing another product for the low FODMAP diet—a freeze-dried green onion powder. For those unfamiliar with the low FODMAP diet, foods like garlic and onion can cause significant digestive discomfort. Interestingly, the green part of the green onion is safe to eat. But it spoils quickly, and most of what you buy in stores is trimmed down to the parts you can’t use.?

My solution? Freeze-dry the green tops into a long-lasting powder. Green Gold!

As a marketer, this product feels perfect. It addresses a clear pain point, and I’ve done the research. Customer discovery even confirms that there’s interest. But one major concern remains—the retail price. The cost of production is staggering, and while I know it’s a unique product, I can’t shake the feeling that customers may hesitate once they see the price tag.

The founder in me, on the other hand, sees no cracks at all. I’m fueled by the belief that once we launch, everyone will be salivating over this product. It’s something new, it solves a real problem, and surely customers will understand the value. Even if it’s more expensive than they expect. My excitement about the product’s uniqueness pushes me to move forward, confident that it will find its place in the market.

Here’s where the conflict begins.

The marketer in me remains cautious. I know how critical it is to educate consumers about the value and benefits of a new product. But I also know the challenge of convincing people to pay a premium for something they’ve never tried. The founder in me wants to push ahead, fueled by the belief that this product is too good to fail.

It’s a classic case of cognitive dissonance. I know the risks—the marketer can spot them immediately. But emotionally, as the founder, I want to believe this product will succeed.

I’m balancing between optimism and risk, unsure which voice to trust.

When you’re both the marketer and the founder, it becomes harder to pinpoint where the real concerns lie. Is this a legitimate risk, or is it just my inner marketer being overly cautious? Am I pushing forward because I truly believe in the product, or am I ignoring red flags because I’m emotionally invested as the founder?

So, what’s the lesson here?

When the founder and marketer are two separate people, it’s easy for the founder to dismiss the marketer’s concerns in favor of pushing the product forward. But when you’re both, the tension is constant, and it’s harder to navigate.

That’s where empathy is essential—from both sides.

As a marketer, I need to have empathy for the founder’s perspective. Founders are driven by passion and an emotional attachment to their product. In the case of my green onion powder, I see the potential. I believe in the problem it solves and the value it offers. But as a marketer, I also have to worry about the customer’s perspective, especially when it comes to the retail price.

The founder is excited to bring something innovative to the market, but the marketer can’t ignore the risks. If the product is too expensive, even the best idea won’t gain traction. That’s where empathy for the founder needs to be balanced with the marketer’s critical role: being the voice of the customer.

And let’s be honest, buying fully into the founder’s vision without questioning it can be dangerous.?

If I let the founder’s optimism drown out my marketing instincts, I risk falling into the “If we build it, they will come” fallacy—a common trap for many founders. The ‘build it and they will come’ fallacy is basically the business version of wishful thinking. It’s like opening a gourmet taco stand in the middle of nowhere and hoping a crowd magically appears because, well, who doesn’t love tacos?

On the other side, the founder must have empathy for the marketer’s position. The marketer isn’t there to stifle the vision but to ensure it aligns with reality—specifically the market’s reality. By recognizing this, the founder can understand that the marketer’s concerns about price, market demand, and positioning aren’t roadblocks; they’re necessary checkpoints to bring the product to its full potential.

As marketers, our job isn’t just to cheerlead the founder’s ideas but to challenge them in a way that keeps the customer’s needs and behaviors at the forefront.

I guess I’m just going to have to figure out how to be doubly empathetic with myself…

How do you balance optimism with realistic caution in your business decisions?

P.S.? I may have neglected to mention I also have a farm. I am sitting on 500 lbs of green onions at the moment.